On behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz gave an address at the annual reception for Islamic dignitaries and heads of Hajj missions who are currently performing this year's pilgrimage. Among those attending were King Tuanko Sayyed Sirajuddin of Malaysia, President of the Sudan Omer Hassan Bashir, President of Bangladesh Dr. Ayaduddin Ahmed, and Prime Minister of Senegal Maki Sal.

Addressing the gathering, Minister of Pilgrimage Iyad Madani declared this year's Hajj a complete success, highlighting the government’s efforts to make the trip comfortable and tranquil for pilgrims. The number of pilgrims, he said, reached its highest in history, and came from a total of 160 countries.